Gorka Kijera

Spanish footballer
Gorka Kijera
Personal information
Full name Gorka Kijera Salaberria
Date of birth (1986-05-26) 26 May 1986 (age 37)
Place of birth Hernani, Spain
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
Hernani
2004–2005 Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 Real Sociedad B 0 (0)
2005–2007 Hernani
2007–2008 Lemona 26 (0)
2008 Bilbao Athletic 4 (0)
2008–2009 Hernani
2009–2011 Eibar 59 (1)
2011–2012 Cartagena 21 (0)
2012–2013 Real Unión 33 (2)
2013–2014 Eibar 11 (0)
2014–2020 Mirandés 210 (4)
2020–2023 Real Unión 65 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:54, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Gorka Kijera Salaberria (born 26 May 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back.

Club career

Born in Hernani, Gipuzkoa, Kijera graduated from Real Sociedad's youth system, but made his debut as a senior with lowly CD Hernani. In the summer of 2007, he joined SD Lemona of Segunda División B.

On 17 June 2008, Kijera moved to Athletic Bilbao, being assigned to the reserves also in the third division.[1] In November, he terminated his contract alleging personal reasons, and returned to his hometown club.[2]

Kijera signed a two-year deal with SD Eibar on 14 July 2009.[3] On 20 June 2011 he joined FC Cartagena,[4] and played his first match as a professional on 9 October, starting in a 0–0 draw against Gimnàstic de Tarragona in the Segunda División.[5]

On 5 July 2012, after the Murcians' relegation, Kijera moved to Real Unión.[6] He featured regularly during his only season, totalling nearly 3,000 minutes of action.

On 11 July 2013, Kijera returned to Eibar now in the second tier.[7] He appeared sparingly in the 2013–14 campaign, as the Basque side was promoted to La Liga for the first time ever.[8]

Kijera cut ties with the Armeros on 27 August 2014,[9] signing with CD Mirandés a day later.[10] On 24 July 2020, having spent the majority of his spell as team captain, the 34-year-old left after his contract expired.[11]

References

  1. ^ Fichaje de Kijera (Kijera's signing); Athletic Bilbao, 17 June 2008 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Gorka Kijera abandona el Bilbao Athletic por motivos personales (Gorka Kijera leaves Bilbao Athletic due to personal reasons) Archived 30 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Join Futbol, 21 November 2008 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ Gorka Kijera ficha por dos años para ocupar la banda izquierda (Gorka Kijera signs for two years to fill the left back); El Diario Vasco, 14 July 2009 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ El Cartagena anuncia cuatro fichajes (Cartagena announce four signings); Marca, 20 June 2011 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ Sin fútbol y sin goles en el Nou Estadi (Neither football nor goals at the Nou Estadi); Marca, 9 October 2011 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ Gorka Kijera, nuevo jugador del Real Unión de Irún (Gorka Kijera, new player of Real Unión de Irún) Archived 26 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Sport Cartagena, 5 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Gorka Kijera vuelve al Eibar dos años después de marcharse al Cartagena (Gorka Kijera returns to Eibar two years after leaving for Cartagena); El Correo, 11 July 2013 (in Spanish)
  8. ^ ¿Qué fue de los héroes del ascenso a Primera del Eibar? (What happened to heroes of Eibar's promotion to Primera?); Mundo Deportivo, 25 May 2020 (in Spanish)
  9. ^ El Eibar y Gorka Kijera llegan a un acuerdo para la rescisión de su contrato (Eibar and Gorka Kijera reach an agreement for the termination of his contract) Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; SD Eibar, 27 August 2014 (in Spanish)
  10. ^ Gorka Kijera, nuevo jugador del C.D. Mirandés (Gorka Kijera, new player of C.D. Mirandés) Archived 4 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; CD Mirandés, 28 August 2014 (in Spanish)
  11. ^ "COMUNICADO OFICIAL | Gorka Kijera" [OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT | Gorka Kijera] (in Spanish). CD Mirandés. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.

External links

  • Gorka Kijera at Athletic Bilbao
  • Gorka Kijera at BDFutbol
  • Gorka Kijera at Futbolme (in Spanish)
  • Gorka Kijera at Soccerway